This invention generally relates to audible warning devices for use by roller bladers, roller skaters, skate boarders and the like. More particularly, this invention relates to a simple mechanical device which when held in a user's hand produces an anti-collision warning sound.
Typically, roller blading, roller skating and skate boarding are activities that are often practiced on sidewalks, boardwalks, along beaches, streets and other areas where pedestrian traffic is present. Because of the presence of many people, often unaware of the faster moving skaters, the danger of collision is a very real danger. The problem is even more critical with the nationwide trend of utilizing walking paths through quiet areas for these types of sporting activities.
As a result of the increasing popularity of walking paths, they have become quite crowded and when skaters are present, can be hazardous. Typically, skating is a fairly non-intrusive form of recreation and a person on a walking path is often unaware that someone else is quickly approaching from behind. As a result, the person who is attempting to overtake the slower person will often yell, startling the other path user and sometimes doing more harm than good.
Therefore, there is a need for a warning device which, when in a quiet area such as a walking path can be heard at an acceptable distance and which is not as disruptive as the actual skater yelling at the person whom they are trying to pass. Further, there is a need to provide a simple low-cost warning device that the "skater" can use to forewarn someone who may be in danger of being a victim of a collision.
The subject invention herein solves all of these problems in a new and unique manner which has not been part of the art previously. Some related patents are described below:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,671 issued to R. Livingston on Dec. 24, 1991
This patent is directed towards a personal alarm system. The personal alarm apparatus includes a case having first and second ends, a radial or curved side and a flat side. The second end of the case includes a horn/valve combination and cone surrounded by a protective screen or cage. Affixed to the first narrow side portion of the case is a strap, while the second narrow side portion of the case has incorporated therein a retainer bracket with a tumbler type, three or four number combination locking mechanism. The strap may be comprised of a solid vinyl or webbed polyester cotton, relatively flat strip of sufficient length to snugly engage the wrist of the user of the device. The alarm system is initiated by applying pressure to the push-button, wherein the pressure is translated to the valve/horn member, which initiates the horn.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,516 issued to G. Giannini on Jan. 13, 1987
This patent is directed towards a tone generating glove and associated switches. The tone generating glove includes a plurality of switches, wherein each switch is positioned at each finger joint of the glove over each knuckle of the hand. The switches are connected by leads to a tone generating circuit whereby the tone generating circuit is connected to an amplifier, which drives a speaker.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,5756 issued to E. Krent, et al. on Dec. 8, 1992
This patent is directed towards a body protective device comprising a wrist guard designed to slip over the hand and onto the wrist, composed of modules having a relatively small intermodular membrane. A watch or other time keeping device and/or a compass can be integrated into the upper surface of the protective wrist guard. Additionally, a rigid cap is affixed to the upper surfaces of the modules which are designed to provide abrasion resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,081 issued to Y. Nakamura on Mar. 2, 1976
This patent is directed toward an alarm for a bicycle. The alarm for the bicycle comprises a trumpet-like cylindrical body made of a material such as a plastic or the like, a mounting piece receptacle bed formed integral with the trumpet-like cylindrical body, a vocal member fixedly encased inwardly of a base portion in the cylindrical body, a bellow-like air blower bag, a cover member and a mounting piece disposed opposite the mounting piece receptacle bed and secured to a handle or the like of the bicycle through screws.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,011 issued to M. Bain, et al., on Jan. 25, 1972
This patent is directed towards a hand glove and light signal attachment. The combination hand glove and electric light signal unit comprises a fabric glove unit which includes a hand and finger portion and a wrist portion. The combination hand glove and electric light signal unit includes a water-resistant flexible rubber or like layer of the hand and finger portion of the glove and houses a small electric signal lamp which is suitably mounted in the housing.
While the basic concepts presented in the aforementioned patents are desirable, the apparatus employed by each to produce warning signals from a handheld device are mechanically far too complicated to render them as an inexpensive means of achieving a device for preventing accidentally colliding with bystanders while involved in certain sport activities such as roller blading, roller-skating and the like.